Gilbert teen in court on assault prompted by racism

BANTAM -- A 17-year-old Gilbert School student accused of fighting with a younger student on June 11 appeared before Judge James Ginocchio Tuesday in Bantam Superior Court.

Brandon Couloute of Winsted was flanked by his parents, Nicholas and April Couloute, in his first appearance in the case. During the brief session, their attorney Fred Boland waived the teen's right to seal the courtroom.

"I have discussed the matter with Attorney Wittstein, and there is some more work that needs to be done in the case," Boland told the judge. Ginocchio scheduled the case for July 20.

Couloute was arrested by Winchester police and charged with second-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace, following a fist fight with the 15-year-old student in the school. The 15-year-old student was also reportedly arrested and charged with breach of peace. That case is pending in the Court for Juvenile Matters in Torrington. Both students were suspended from school for 10 days.

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Couloute, who claims the 15-year-old provoked him with racist comments before they exchanged blows, said Tuesday the same student previously assaulted him at least three times.

"This kid has multiple incidents of hitting my child," April Coulute said. "My son has been trying to make peace with this student. He was trying to defend himself. What about the other assaults all year long?"

The parents claim the school knew about the 15-year-old student's racist opinions and markings on his arms that referred to the KKK, but did nothing about it.

Holding out a picture of the couple's smiling eight children, April Couloute said she is proud of each of them, from the eldest in college to the couple's youngest children in grammar school.

"Brandon has never been in trouble with the law," April Couloute said.

If the school "dealt properly" with the 15-year-old student before, Brandon would not be in court, she said.

"Kids should be able to learn and have fun in a safe environment at school and have good memories of school," she said.

Brandon said he and other students were repeatedly offended by the 15-year-old's conduct for two school years. In one incident, Brandon explained, when he asked the student why he acted out against students of other races he responded that he hated "niggers." Brandon complained about the problem to Associate Principal Joseph Dombrowski, he said.

"He told me 'What do you want me to do, honestly?'" Brandon said. "'Take him out back and whip him like the good ole' days?'"

When asked about the complaint to Dombrowski, Steven Sedlack, Chairman the W.L. Gilbert School Corp. said Tuesday that "I have not heard about that before."

"I really have nothing to say," Sedlack continued. "With the threat of litigation here, we are in no position to make a comment at all. I obviously have a lot to say, but I cannot say anything at this time."

The school released a statement last week that condoned acts of racism and said it does not tolerate violent or racist behavior.

"Whenever we become aware of those views, the administration and the staff does whatever it can to assure that those views are not allowed to violate the rights of other students to attend the school in a safe, secure and tolerant environment," the school statement said.

Brandon said he is proud of his family, his ethnicity and his school.

"The reason why I talked to him is because I want to pass geometry and thought I could reason with him and get him to cut it out," he said. "The other kids and I just want him to stop all this racist stuff. I want him to learn he can't say something like that."